The Value of Life
by summermocha
Summary: One-shot about the parent-child relationship between Sesshoumaru and Rin.


**The Value of Life**

I was binge watching InuYasha and decided to write this one-shot about Sesshoumaru and Rin. I know some people want them to become romantic lovers, but I actually think their relationship is meant to be more of one between a parent/child. To each their own, though – that's the beauty of Fanfiction :)

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own InuYasha.

* * *

"Loooorrrdddd Ssessshooouuumaaaruuuu~"  
It was a lovely spring day in feudal Japan.  
The grass was a vibrant shade of green, the flowers were blooming, and the air was crisp and clean. The skies were blue with the clear weather; the snow showers that plagued the wintertime were long gone.  
Jaken, the most loyal imp in all of Japan, was skipping through the grass. He was excited to see Lord Sesshoumaru, the dog demon he had been serving faithfully for hundreds of years.  
Today was a very special day.  
They would be visiting Rin.

Rin was a small human girl that decided to follow Sesshoumaru one day. No one really knows why; perhaps even Rin herself isn't sure.  
Jaken was flabbergasted that his master would allow a simple human child to follow him around – Lord Sesshoumaru was the most powerful demon in the world! Why would he waste his time with a small, mortal creature? Sesshoumaru had even gone to hell and back – literally – to save Rin. Jaken would often wonder what made this girl so endearing to his master, but as time went on, she had started to grow on him, too.

"Are you excited to see Rin, my lord?" Jaken asked.  
It had been a year since they had seen Rin last. There was no doubt that Rin's physical appearance would have changed drastically since then. But Sesshoumaru and Jaken look exactly the same.  
"I'm sure she will be very happy to see you," Jaken added.  
Sesshoumaru stayed silent, in his usual stoic way. He merely blinked his golden amber eyes. "Let's go," he simply said, walking to the village that Rin was residing in.  
"W-wait for me!" Jaken said, running after him.  
Years ago, Sesshoumaru had requested that Rin stay in a human village. He thought that that would be best for her, and one day when she was old enough, she could decide between choosing life as a normal human or a life with demons. He made her stay with Kaede, an elderly woman. She was biologically related to a woman that his younger brother, InuYasha, was romantically involved with, many years ago. This made their interactions with each other rather awkward and tense, but both managed to stay civil with each other. Kaede didn't mind having Rin at all – being around such a young and cheerful girl made Kaede herself feel young again.

Sesshoumaru approached the small home that Rin was living in. He could smell smoke; they recently lit a fire inside. Perhaps they just ate breakfast? Without asking if anyone was inside, or even for permission to enter, he slid open the front door.  
"Sesshoumaru," Kaede said, surprised. She was cleaning up their breakfast plates.  
Sesshoumaru sniffed the air. He could smell smoked fish and rice. A nutritious meal for a growing girl.  
' _Her scent..._ '  
"Rin is in her room-"  
"I know," he simply said, walking towards Rin's room.  
Kaede smiled sheepishly, looking at Jaken, who had just managed to catch up to Sesshoumaru. "He doesn't change, does he?"  
Jaken merely shrugged.

Sesshoumaru stood outside her door for a moment, listening to ensure he wouldn't walk in on something embarrassing. He could hear her humming. He assumed it was fine to enter, so he slowly slid open her door.  
Rin slowly looked up, and when their eyes met, her dark brown eyes sparkled with joy. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" she gleefully shouted, running towards him. She wrapped her arms around his body, giving him a very tight hug.  
He merely wrapped his arm around her back. "I see you are well," he said, looking at her. He noticed her hair that had grown to her waist; it was shiny and black and seemed very healthy. Her skin was still a milky complexion, with peachy cheeks as always. Her eyes seemed bright and alert, and her voice was strong and audible. She had grown much taller since the last time he had seen her, as well. He was pleased that she seemed so healthy.  
"I'm doing great!" Rin replied, smiling. She released him from her hug. "What are you doing here?"  
"I have a present," Sesshoumaru said, digging into the sleeve of his kimono. Even after all of these years, he still wore that white kimono with the floral patterns. He dug out a pile of _other_ kimonos. "These are made from silk. I hope you like them," he handed her the pile of kimonos.  
She grinned. "Thank you so much. You always bring me gifts, Lord Sesshoumaru! I feel like I should repay you,"  
"You already are," he said. He began turning, getting ready to leave.  
"Are you leaving already?"  
"I'm sure you have other things to do than to talk to an old dog," he said, walking away.  
' _He's just so cool,_ ' Rin thought to herself. ' _But...what does he mean by that?_ '  
He closed the door behind him. He thanked Kaede for letting him stop by, and left.

 **-x-x-x-**

"Rin seems to be doing well," Jaken said, as the two began walking away from the human village.  
Sesshoumaru stayed silent.  
' _Seeing Rin changing physically just reminded me that she is not immortal. Perhaps that's what makes humans so interesting?_ '  
The cherry blossoms were starting to bloom. Soft pink petals were floating in the wind, briefly touching Sesshoumaru's face as he walked.  
' _They are temporary, like these flowers. Perhaps that is the value of life.'  
_ Watching Rin grow up made his heart warm. It made him blissfully happy that she was flourishing in that environment. He wished that one day, he could provide an environment where she would prosper, too. Rin was a good girl. Having her grow up and become an adult made Sesshoumaru very content; perhaps she would take the lessons he attempted to teach her, and apply them to her own life. She was living the best life she could, and somehow, it impacted his life. Even though he had been alive for centuries, the short time he spent with Rin had made his life exponentially more satisfying.  
Demons can live for forever. Because of this, they often take life for granted, not taking opportunities to do amazing things. But humans are aware of their mortality, are in a constant race against themselves to live the best life possible. Most of their younger years are spent trying to prepare them for their adult years.  
' _You are repaying me just by living, Rin. You are making the most out of the limited time you have in this world._ '

"What are you thinking about?" Jaken asked, noticing how quiet his master was. Lord Sesshoumaru was normally this quiet – but Jaken felt as though something was a little off.  
"Nothing," Sesshoumaru replied.


End file.
